The annual Ladder Exchange programme commences its sixth year offering amnesty to dinged and dodgy ladders this September with trade organisation the Ladder Association taking over from previous administrators, the Health and Safety Executive. From 1 September to 30 November, the Ladder Association and its trade-in partners will be offering new ladders at a discounted price in exchange for broken, bent or damaged ones.
The program is designed to provide a practical solution for improving health and safety at work and promote an important safety message. Falls from height are the biggest cause of workplace fatalities in the UK and, according to the Ladder Association, “In 2010/11, a total of 38 workers died and 4,327 employees suffered a major injury as a result of a fall from height in the workplace, with a further 10,232 employees suffering an ‘over 3 day’ injury”.
Health and safety solutions company SG World offers a Ladder Inspection Checklist as an easy way for business owners to regularly inspect their ladders and determine if they are fit for use as part of the Pre-Use Inspection Checklist range of inspection products. Safe-INSPECT is a straight-forward and cost-effective chequebook-style documentation which incorporates checklists for all the relevant health and safety regulation, such as the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Work at Height Regulations 2005.
Using the fully customisable Safe-INSPECT system, businesses can follow simple and easy-to-understand procedures to inspect their equipment. The Safe-LADDER documentation, which is the Safe-INSPECT product specifically designed for ladders, allows users to log essential safety and maintenance checks. Ladders which risk being unsafe and causing accidents are easily identifiable through the use of our Ladder Inspection Checklist and can be put forward for the Ladder Exchange.
When workers are correctly trained, the right equipment is used, and the equipment has been effectively inspected, many of these incidents can be avoided. The Ladder Exchange is able to further incentivise health and safety in the workplace: with low-cost brand new ladders available to anybody who brings them a 'dodgy' one, the dangers associated with using inappropriate or outdated equipment are easily avoidable.
To make the scheme accessible to businesses around the country, The Ladder Association is working with dozens of partners across the UK so that individuals or businesses can find their closest and most convenient exchange centre. The Ladder Exchange website has a geographical list of trade-in partners.
The Ladder Exchange can help to avoid fatal or serious accidents by replacing broken, bent or damaged ladders. With the help of their Safe-LADDER system, SG World can make sure that businesses can correctly identify ladders which need replacing. Everybody has a responsibility to reduce the number of fatal injuries which occur when workers fall from height, and the Ladder Exchange and SG World can help companies to achieve this with their affordable, effective solutions.